Transistor circuit for the operation of electronic clocks



Dec. 5, 1967 Y RElcH 3,356,919

TRANSISTOR CIR-31111 FOR THE OPEIATION OE ELECTRONlC CLOCKS Filed Junea, 1961 3 sh ets-sheet 1 //1 venfor ROBERT WALTER RE/CH [gm-W A/fomeysDec. 5, r w REICH TRANSISTOR CIRCUIT FOR THE OPERATION OF ELECTRONICCLOCKS Filed June 8, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 5, 1967 R. w. REICH3,356,919

TRANSISTOR CIRCUIT FUR THE OPERATION OF ELECTROHIC CLOCKS Filed June 8,1961 5 Sheets-Sheet I5 In vemor ROBERT WALTER RE/GH United States PatentR i 6 Claims. (Cl. 318-128) This invention relates to electronicclockworks and the like and is particularly concerned with anarrangement for obtaining strong excitation pulses to the base of atransistor for positive control of the transistor.

The development of excitation voltage for opening a transistor hasalways been a problem in connection with electronic clockworks,particularly with transistors of the silicon type in connection withwhich the voltage pulse developed in an excitation coil, as a magnetpasses bythe coil would be too low to open the transistor.

Many devices have been proposed for developing excitation voltage froman exciter coil in response to movement of the oscillating member, butheretofore all such devices have been quite sensitive to voltage andtemperature because the developed voltage pulse from the exciting coilwas relatively low and left little margin within which to take care oftemperature and voltage variations.

Furthermore, exciter coils are necessarily quite small, particularly forclockworks to be used with watches, and in order to obtain properoperating conditions, it is necessary to be certain that the voltagepulse in the exciter coil is sharp and occurs within an extremely shortinterval of time. The short interval of time permissible for the voltagepulse from the exciter coil requires that these coils be relativelynarrow in the direction of movement of the oscillatory member and this,in turn, limits the exciter voltages that can be developed therein. Forsilicon transistors, for example, having a gate voltage of about 7 voltand an opening Voltage of about two to three volts at the base, such anarrangement would be simply inoperative. The voltage developed in theexciter coil would notbe great enough to open any known silicontransistor.

With germanium transistors with considerably lower opening voltages, theexciter voltage obtainable. is so near the necessary opening voltagethat the system is quite sensitive to variations in voltage andtemperature. I

Having the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of the presentinvention to provide an arrangement wherein a transistorized electronicclockwork is made that is .not sensitive to temperature and voltageconditions.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an arrangementreferred to in which, with relatively small exciter coil means, anextremely short duration voltage pulse can be developed in the excitercoil means but which, however, has ample amplitude under all conditionsfor opening the transistor connected thereto even where this transistoris a silicon type.

In the practice of the present invention, the basic idea is theenhancement or multiplication of the voltage pulse from the exciter coilmeans so that adequate transistor opening voltage is available at alltimes. According to one modification of the presentinvention, aplurality of exciter coils are connected in series andare so related toexciting magnets that only in one position of the oscillating elementare the voltage pulses of the individual exciter coils in phase and inadditive relation, whereby in only this one position is there thedevelopment of opening voltage for the transistor. The last describedarrangement is accomplished either by locating the exciter. coils andtheir actuating magnets asymmetrically, or by reversing one or more ofthe coils and the exciting magnets therefor so that there is only onerelative position of the oscil- 3,356,919 Patented Dec. 5 1967 lator andexciter coils which will produce a transistor opening pulse.

Another form which the invention can take utilizes a transformer,disposed between the source of exciting impulses and the base of thetransistor to be controlled, and in this particular modification, asingle exciter coil is ample or a source of pulsations which are underthe control, for example, of a quartz crystal might be employed.

In still another form which the invention can take, the exciter coiltakes the form of a transformer or an auto transformer so that a voltagepulse is available therefrom in excess of the voltage of the pulseproduced in the coil inductively by the movement of the exciting magnetpast the coil.

The foregoing objects and advantages of this invention will become moreapparent upon reference to the following specification taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURES 1 and It: show in plan and side view respectively onemodification of the present invention with respect to the arrangement ofthe coils or magnets;

FIGURES 2 and 2a show a plan and side view respectively anothermodification;

FIGURE 3 and 3a show in plan and side view respectively a thirdmodification;

FIGURES 4 and 4a show in plan and side elevation respectively, stillanother modification somewhat similar to that ofFIGURES 3 and 3a;

FIGURES 5 and 5a show plan and side elevational views respectively ofstill another modification;

FIGURE 6 shows a side view of a modification in which the exciter coilis in the form of an auto transformer;

FIGURE 7 shows a circuit diagram wherein a voltage divider is employedfor influencing the gate and opening voltages of the transistor, and

FIGURE 8 shows a circuit arrangement wherein a, transformer ispositioned between the source of exciting pulses and the base of thetransistor.

Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail, in FIGURE 1,reference numeral 1 indicates the support for the coils which includethe driver coil 2 and a plurality of excitation coils 3, 4 and 5. Theshaft for the oscillating portion is indicated at 10 and connectedthereto is carrier 11 on which are mounted magnets 6, 7, 8 and 9. Coils3, 4 and 5 are connected in series with coils 3 and 4 wound in onedirection and coil 5 wound in the opposite direction. Alternatively, thecoils can be wound in the same direction and coil 5 connected reverselyto coils 3 and 4.

As viewedin FIGURE 1, magnets 6, 7 and 8 have their south poles adjacenttheir respective coils, whereas magnet 9 has its north pole adjacent itscoil. Because of the reversed relation of magnet 9 relative to-the othermagnets, there is only one position of the oscillatory member in whichvoltage pulses are developed in the exciter coils 3, 4 and 5, which willbe additive and in phase and which will supply a voltage pulsesufiicient to open the transistor that supplies current to driving coil2. By using a plurality of exciter coils and one reversed magnet, itwill be evident that compact structures can be made while strongexciting voltages are available in the one position only of theoscillating member.

The oscillatory member in these views, as well as in the other views, isin the null position which is also the position in which the transistoris opened by the exciter pulse. A conventional biasing spring (notshown) biases the oscillatory member toward its null position.

FIGURE 2 shows a slightly different arrangement, with the same referencenumerals employed where applicable, except in addition to support 11there are supports 12 and 13 connected to shaft 10. In this figure thedriving coil 2 is concentric with an exciter coil 3, and other excitercoils 4 and 5 are arranged in spaced relation to the driving coil. Withthis arrangement also there is only one position of the oscillatorymember in 360 of travel thereof from its null position in each directionthat will produce sufficient voltage to release power through thetransistor to the driving coil.

In FIGURES 3 and 3a the shaft carries supporting members on whichmagnets 20, 21 and 22 are carried to define a gap in which excitationcoils 17, 18 and 19 are located with a driving coil 16 being locatedconcentrically with exciter coil 17. In these figures the magnetarrangement at 20 passes magnetic lines in one direction through thecoils While the magnets at 21 and 22 pass the magnetic lines in theopposite direction. Coil 17 is wound reversely to coils 18, 19 and thecoils are serially connected so that only as the oscillatory memberpasses through its null position is there a transistor opening pulsedeveloped in the serially connected exciter coils.

In FIGURES 4 and 4a a somewhat similar arrangement is illustrated andthe same reference numerals are applied where applicable. The carriersare indicated at 15 and mounted thereon are magnet 20 phased in onedirection and magnets 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 all phased in the otherdirection.

The driver coil is indicated at 16 and a plurality of exciter coils areindicated at 17, 18, 19, 17 and 18'. Due to the reverse position ofmagnet 20', there is only one position of the oscillatory member inwhich the serially connected exciter coils will develop a combinedvoltage pulse sulficient to open a transistor and release driving powerto driver coil 16. In this case, all of the exciter coils can be woundin the same direction.

In FIGURES 5 and So another arrangement is shown wherein the samereference numerals have been applied. In this arrangement the carriers15 carry the south poles 21 and 23 at one side and define a gap in whichexciter coil 18 is located, whereas on the other side south pole 22 andnorth pole 20 define a gap in which exciter coil 17 and concentricdriver coil 16 are located. It will be appreciated that in this instancealso there is only one position of the oscillatory member in whichtransistor opening voltage pulses can be developed.

In FIGURE 6 driver coil 16 is mounted adjacent the pole of a magnet 20on carrier 15 and surrounding driver coil 16 an exciter coil arrangementin the form of a transformer having primary 26 and secondary 27. Thistransformer, can, for example, be an auto transformer where space willpermit this construction.

In FIGURE 7 there is shown a circuit embodying a transistor T and in thebase-emitter circuit thereof are connected the serially arranged excitercoils. These exciter coils are also connected through a voltage dividerin the form of resistors 30, 31 with one end of driving coil 16, whichis in the emitter-collector circuit, in series with a battery B and acontrol resistor 36.

In FIGURE 8 reference numeral 17 indicates a source of excitation pulsessuch as a single excitor coil or a plurality of exciter coils in series,or a voltage source under the control of a quartz crystal or the like.In any case voltage pulses developed to a primary side of thetransformer 32 are amplified in the secondary of the transformer whichis connected in the base emitter circuit of transistor T. Driving coil16 in the emitter-collector circuit is in series with battery B.

When using the transformer 32, the exciter coil 17 can be constructed offewer turns and of heavier wire than normally employed because thesecondary side of the transformer, even though the transformer is quitesmall, will produce a voltage pulse of the desired voltage. Thetransformer may be quite simple consisting, for example, of two coilswound on a small solid cylindrical core. The provision of thetransformer permits considerable latitude in the design of theexcitation coil and its exciting magnet.

All of the arrangements disclosed are relatively simple and simplify thecoil and magnet construction and permit the mechanisms to be madeextremely small.

The clockworks according to the present invention are no longersensitive to temperature and voltage variations in the degree heretoforeknown. Furthermore, by the use of the compensating resistor arrangementshown in FIG- URE 7, the smallest possible functional dependency can beobtained. It becomes possible, in fact, to provide transistor controlledclocks for automobiles and the like and maintain the necessary operatingconditions for the clocks.

Each modification of FIGURES 1 through 5 is characterized in that thereis only one position in 360 of rotation of the oscillatory member oneach side of its null position in which a pulse large enough to open thetransistor is developed in the exciter coil means. The conventionalbiasing spring is shown at 40- for each modification.

The circuit of FIG. 7 could be that for the modification of FIGS. 4, 4awherein five exciter coils are serially connected and have pulsesinduced therein when the oscillatory member passes through null positionthat add up to enough to open the transistor. Due to the reversedposition of magnet 20 for driving coil 16, when the oscillatory memberis in any position other than its null position, instead of five pulsesadding together, there will be only four pulses in one direction and onein the opposite direction making a total of only three pulses in thedirection to open the transistor which, by the selection of thetransistor and the exciter coils, is not sufficient to open thetransistor.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modificationin order to adapt it to different usages and conditions; andaccordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within thisinvention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An electronic device for maintaining mechanical oscillationscomprising; a mechanical oscillator member having a null position andhaving a swing of less than 360 on each side of the null position andbeing adapted to be biased toward said null position, a plurality ofmagnets on said member spaced circumferentially thereof, a plurality ofstationary exciter coils adjacent said member positioned for respectiveregistration with said magnets in the null position of said member sothat movement of the member through its null position will inducevoltages in said exciter coils, a driver coil, a magnet element on saidmember which registers with said driver coil in the null position ofsaid member so a pulse of current to said driver coil will exert animpelling force on said member via said magnet element; a transistorsaid exciter coils being connected to supply a voltage pulse in the baseemitter circuit of said transistor; a battery, said battery and drivercoil being serially connected in the emittercollector circuit of saidtransistor, one of said magnets and magnet element being poled in onedirection and the others thereof being poled in the opposite direction,said exciter coils being so connected in series that the respectivevoltage pulses induced therein by their respective magnets passingthereby will be in additive relation in the base-emitter circuit of thetransistor only as the member passes through its null position.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which there are at least threemagnets on said member and a corresponding number of exciter coils whichrespectively register therewith in the null position of said member.

3. A device according to claim 1 in which said magnet element is one ofsaid magnets and said driver coil is coaxial with one of said excitercoils.

4. A device according to claim 1 in which said magnet element isseparate from said magnets and said driver coil is spaced from saidexciter coils.

5. A device according to claim 1 in which said mag- 5 nets and excitercoils are asymmetrically located with respect to the axis of oscillationof said member.

6. A device according to claim 1 in which a first resistor is connectedbetween the base and collector of the transistor and a second resistoris connected between said base and said exciter coils.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,831,114 4/1958 Van Overbeck331-116 2,843,742 7/1958 Cluwen 318-132X 6 Van Overbeck 331-116 Dome310-36 X Braithwaite 318-132 Thoma 318-132 X Reich 318-132 Hetzel318-132 X Allison 331-156 10 MILTON O. HI'RSHFIELD, Primary Examiner.

D. F. DUGGAN, Assistant Examiner.

1. AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR MAINTAINING MECHANICAL OSCILLATIONSCOMPRISING; A MECHANICAL OSCILLATOR MEMBER HAVING A NULL POSITION ANDHAVING A SWING OF LESS THAN 360* ON EACH SIDE OF THE NULL POSITION ANDBEING ADAPTED TO BE BIASED TOWARD SAID NULL POSITION, A PLURALITY OFMAGNETS ON SAID MEMBER SPACED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY THEREOF, A PLURALITY OFSTATIONARY EXCITER COILS ADJACENT SAID MEMBER POSITIONED FOR RESPECTIVEREGISTRATION WITH SAID MAGNETS IN THE NULL POSITION OF SAID MEMBER SOTHAT MOVEMENT OF THE MEMBER THROUGH ITS NULL POSITION WILL INDUCEVOLTAGES IN SAID EXCITER COILS, A DRIVER COIL, A MAGNET ELEMENT ON SAIDMEMBER WHICH REGISTERS WITH SAID DRIVER COIL IN THE NULL POSITION OFSAID MEMBER SO A PULSE OF CURRENT TO SAID DRIVER COIL WILL EXERT ANIMPELLING FORCE ON SAID MEMBER VIA SAID MAGNET ELEMENT; A TRANSISTORSAID EXCITER COILS BEING CONNECTED TO SUPPLY A VOLTAGE PULSE IN THE BASEEMITTER CIRCUIT OF SAID TRANSISTOR; A BATTERY, SAID BATTERY AND DRIVERCOIL BEING SERIALLY CONNECTED IN THE EMITTERCOLLECTOR CIRCUIT OF SAIDTRANSISTOR, ONE OF SAID MAGNETS AND MAGNET ELEMENT BEING POLED IN ONEDIRECTION AND THE OTHERS THEREOF BEING POLED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION,SAID EXCITER COILS BEING SO CONNECTED IN SERIES THAT THE RESPECTIVEVOLTAGE PULSES INDUCED THERIN BY THEIR RESPECTIVE MAGNETS PASSINGTHEREBY WILL BE IN ADDITIVE RELATION IN THE BASE-EMITTER CIRCUIT OF THETRANSISTOR ONLY AS THE MEMBER PASSES THROUGH IT NULL POSITION.